I have a few tractor paths in the woods. Am considering putting some chips (can get lots delivered for free from power company right of way clearing) down to keep the weeds down. Some of them are on fairly steep hills but no concentrated water running across. Is this a good idea or will the chips become slick and make for less traction?
Cover trails in woods with chips?
- Thread starter JimS
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brin
Super Member
I think it is a great idea and I got lucky and got a bunch of free wood chips and did the same thing and they dig in to the soil and are not slippery at all on grades, at least that has been my experience..I would never pass up free wood chips..
beenthere
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They should make good trails....until they decay and rot away. Just need to add more chips then.
Water bars can be placed if water erodes the chips away.
Wildlife people and foresters like to see the trails seeded down to hold off erosion and to provide wildlife food.
The traction question raises another issue, how steep are the trails?
Water bars can be placed if water erodes the chips away.
Wildlife people and foresters like to see the trails seeded down to hold off erosion and to provide wildlife food.
The traction question raises another issue, how steep are the trails?
jimmyj
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Do it, it works great.
CharlieR
Bronze Member
My neighbor got free chips from a similar source - BUT - when his son got poison ivy from the chips, "free" wasn't the word for it!!:laughing:
Frankdozer
Silver Member
What's a good chipper that can be pulled behind an ATV. I sold my tractor and have no more 3 point hitch ( For now )?
tommu56
Elite Member
I wouldent do it my road at my cabin had a couple bark and chip piles on it and I ended digging them out and refilling with rock and dirt they held water and and made dirt under neath a muddy mess along with the rotting chips.
bit counting the bares ripping it up looking for grubs and other bugs.
One note they were piles 2- 3 ft deep in some places.
tom
bit counting the bares ripping it up looking for grubs and other bugs.
One note they were piles 2- 3 ft deep in some places.
tom
PILOON
Super Star Member
Power co cleared the hydro lines recently and I got 8 loads of chips.
Makes great fill that'll turn to compost over time.
Last year I recieved 16 loads of boulders and blasted racks as fill so the chips will fill in all the voids between the blasted rocks/boulders.
Buddy rec'd 24 loads for his trails from the same linemen and he is having a ball with his BX 7100 spreading them over his trails to build them up.
Now he also recieved 8-10 loads of sand/gravel sweepings from the road spring cleanup sweeping crew that he'll cover over the chips with.
Shure makes beautiful trails!
Salt mixed in with the sand/gravel sweepings will also control weed growth I guess as an additional side benefit.
Free stuff is great! (if you have a tractor to move it)
Makes great fill that'll turn to compost over time.
Last year I recieved 16 loads of boulders and blasted racks as fill so the chips will fill in all the voids between the blasted rocks/boulders.
Buddy rec'd 24 loads for his trails from the same linemen and he is having a ball with his BX 7100 spreading them over his trails to build them up.
Now he also recieved 8-10 loads of sand/gravel sweepings from the road spring cleanup sweeping crew that he'll cover over the chips with.
Shure makes beautiful trails!
Salt mixed in with the sand/gravel sweepings will also control weed growth I guess as an additional side benefit.
Free stuff is great! (if you have a tractor to move it)
studor
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+1 on the do it side -- works well with just a thin layer required. My Bearcat does not have a blower so when we are doing trails we just feed the slash into it and rake it out a bit on the trails. I do not use chips in the wet areas -- they get pit run (stones and sand)
